As we brave the second streak of back to school pandemic style, there are things we just have to accept. The delta variant spike, mask-wearing debates, chronic unpredictability and overall angst that comes with navigating this transition are real. While our dreams for pre-pandemic normalcy may seem crushed (not so fast), there’s actually never been a better time to step it up as parents. Repeat after me: “Smarter doesn’t mean harder.”
Old normal be gone!
Was education really hitting its stride pre-pandemic? 66% of parents don’t think so. As our kids head back to school in the fall, experts are saying “parent-directed and child-centered approach to schooling” is here to stay. Think online learning options galore, like remote student tutoring and virtual parent-teacher conferences. Be easier on yourselves, moms and dads. Remember that your job isn’t to have it all figured out now. You’ve already made it this far. Take it from this mom of four who writes, “Parents, we have a duty to perform this year. It’s simple: Lay off. What if we extended grace at every turn instead of criticism and demands?”
Maybe you’re squirming a little. Type A-ers, we see you.
No worries because we love good strategies too, especially when they empower our kids into states of physical and emotional safety. Get creative with how you co-create manageable routines, level up time management or turn boredom into self-driven acts of play.
Apparently, we got this.
This superintendent of schools in Oklahoma is all for it. “None of us would have ever wanted to go through this. [But] we have a chance now to make it something that will change teaching and learning forever for the better.” In community-based education, we go farther faster. More of that please!
